Doctor insights on:
Is It Possible To Be Immune To Cold Sores

1

Of course:
Cold sores are the result of reactivation of a previously experienced herpes oral infection. Known as a slow virus. Herpes gingivostomatitis is an exceedingly common childhood infection, like chicken pox. Immune system fights it off. But it lingers in tissues. Only a small percentage of people go on to get cold sores from its reactivation in later years. Like shingles and chicken pox.
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Also referred to as fever blisters, cold sores are small and painful fluid-filled blisters that are usually found around the lips. Cold sores are very contagious and can be spread by mouth-to-mouth contact and to the genitals, causing genital herpes through oral sex.
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5

In a way:
About 80% of the us has been exposed to herpes simplex type 1 (hsv-1) and about 30% to hsv-2. Many people have never had cold sores or genital lesions and have no idea they were exposed unless someone tests their antibodies to these viruses. Once you have herpes it lives in your nerves and might reactivate with stress or other events that decrease the immune system.
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6

Yes!:
It's easy....You just get a flu shot. The "natural way" is more difficult. You do develop immunity to the flu after you recover from it. The problem is that next year's strain will be completely different, so it won't do you any good. Over the years, there can be some overlap, so people previously exposed may have partial immunity, but it's a lot easier to just get vaccinated.
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7

Herpetic lesions:
There is no real immunity to herpes. When you get herpes it lays dormant in the nerveganglion (central nerve station) Due to stress/ immunocompromised state it recurs. Having herpes I does not protect you from herpes II,they are different, You can also spread herpes I so if you have a lesion on your lip and it touched and then your vaginal is touched it can spread there. f/u w/doc
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9

Cold urticaria:
Yes it is possible to develop hives and swelling to the cold. This is not acually an "allergy" but rather an abnormal response by the body that can occur in some people. Cold urticaria is classified as a physical urticaria and this can be demonstrated in the doctor's office by placing an ice cube on the arm for 5 minutes and observe for the development of hives and swelling as the skin rewarms.
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10

Great question:
This is a difficult question to prove an answer to. I would argue did it is possible for somebody to be immune to cancer. I expect one day we will see preventive vaccines that may decrease the incidence of cancer. We already see this with the hpv vaccine and Hepatitis B Vaccine decreasing cervical and liver cancer respectively. However these vaccines are against the viruses that cause the cancer.
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11

Sure:
You probably already have the virus. Most people who harbor this virus have no symptoms. If you want to know, a blood test will tell you. It is quite likely that you will eventually get it anyway, even if you do not yet have it. A person who gets "cold sores" can get relief with valacyclovir or acyclivir pills. The topical creams/gels are not worth discussion.
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14

Painful 1-side rash:
Shingles is caused by varicella zoster virus, a member of the herpes virus family. Herpes simplex viruses are also members of the same family but different viruses from herpes simplex. You can have one & not the other. Having antibodies to herpes simplex doesn't prevent you from having shingles. Shingles is a reactivation of chickenpox that a person had previously. There are blood tests for all 3.
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16

Sensitivity:
If sensitivity increasing it means the cause of the sensitivity has never been addressed. The toothpaste has simply masked the symptoms as the causative problem grew in intensity. Please see your dentist to try to discover the cause of this symptom and then arrive at an appropriate solution.
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18

Cold sores:
Because you can shed the virus without having open lesions, you should always let your partner know if you had cold sores in the past. Still, you are more likely to spread the virus when a sore is visible to that would be the time to avoid contact until the sore is completely gone.
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19

HSV:
There are two types of herpes simplex viruses (hsv) that cause oral and genital herpes. Typically, hsv-1 causes oral disease and hsv-2 genital disease. However, both viruses can cause either infection. Self innoculation (or transmitting oral disesae to the genitalia) is virtually impossible since the virus is inactivated at room temperature and by drying from air.
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